Lifting

Each lab group needs:

tape measure
access to a bathroom scale or other device to estimate
weights

objects to lift

textbooks (1 copy of each)

Kendall, F.P., McCreary, E.K., & Provance, P.G. (1993).

Muscles: Testing and Function (4th ed.). Baltimore:
Williams & Wilkins.

Smith, L.K., Weiss, E.L. & Lehmkuhl, L.D. (1995).

Brunnstrom's Clinical Kinesiology (5th ed.).
Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
Read pp. 390-394 to prepare for this week's
lectures and lab.

University of Oklahoma Department of Physical

Therapy. (2000, October 30). Steps in a biomechanical
analysis of lifting. Oklahoma City, OK: Author. Retrieved
October 19, 2001, from the World Wide Web:
http://moon.ouhsc.edu/dthompso/namics/lift.htm
Anatomy text of your choice

1. Analyze the forces and moments around the L5-S1

intervertebral joint as one or two members of your lab group
perform a lift. You may model your analysis on the diagram
below, which depicts a woman performing a lift in different
postures. Note that the total flexion moment at the L5-S1
intervertebral joint depends on the woman's lifting posture.

2. Your lab partners may lift any convenient object. Compare

two lifting strategies
1. a "knees straight" strategy
2. a "knees bent" or squat strategy
in terms of the maximum flexion moments that they produce
around the L5-S1 intervertebral joint (IVJ). The total flexion
moment is the sum of the moments produced at the L5-S1
IVJ by (1) the body mass superincumbent to the joint and (2)
the mass of the object that the person lifts.
Mflexion = Msuperincumbent mass + Mlifted mass
Mflexion = (Fsuperincumbent mass*dsuperincumbent mass) + (Flifted mass*dlifted mass)
Use your tape measure to estimate the moment arms (d).
Determine the gravitational forces (F), otherwise known as
weights, by estimating or by using a bathroom scale.
Because the body's center of gravity is located at the level of
the second sacral vertebra, you may assume that 50 percent
of your lab partner's mass is superincumbent to the L5-S1
joint.
Compare the two strategies by finding the point during the
lift where gravity's moment arms, with respect to the L5-S1
joint, are the longest. At these points, the flexion moment
that gravity produces on the L5-S1 intervertebral joint is the
largest. Estimate gravity's maximal flexion moment for both
types of lift.
"knees
"knees
strai
be
ght"
nt"

weight of body mass superincumbent

to L5-S1 intervertebral joint
(lbs.)

___________

weight of lifted mass (lbs.)

__________

moment arm of body mass

superincumbent to L5-S1
intervertebral joint (in.)

__________

_________

moment arm of lifted mass (in.)

__________

_________

total flexion moment at L5-S1

intervertebral joint (in*lbs.)

__________

_________

3. In either lifting strategy, to achieve rotational equilibrium,

your lab partner's trunk extensor muscles must produce a
moment around the L5-S1 IVJ that equals the total flexion
moment that you just calculated.
M = 0 = Msuperincumbent mass + Mlifted mass + Mextension muscles
(Msuperincumbent mass + Mlifted mass) = -Mextensor muscles
(the negative sign only means that the moments
produce opposite motions at the joint. As long as we
remember this fact, we can ignore the negative sign.)
Mflexion = Mextension = Mextensor muscle
Mflexion = (Fextensor muscle *dextensor muscle)
Fextensor muscle = Mflexion / dextensor muscle
Use the last equation to calculate the extensor muscle force.
Use the figure for total flexion moment from the previous
table, and use a laboratory skeleton to estimate an average
moment arm for the extensor muscles.

"knees
strai
ght"

"knees
be
nt"

maximal flexion moment during lift

(from table above) (in*lbs.)
average moment arm of extensor
muscles (in.)
estimated force shared among trunk
extensor muscles (lbs.)

__________

_________

__________

__________

_________

4. Consider how your lab partners might substitute

ligamentous force for some of the muscle force that resists
gravity's effect on flexing the trunk.
Ligaments develop force when they are elongated.
Force developed in the ligaments is passive force; it
requires no expenditure of energy.
What ligaments, when elongated, produce a force that
resists spinal flexion?

Consider the ligaments that restrain

intervertebral motion. Your text (Smith, Weiss, &
Lehmkuhl, 1996, Fig.11-2, p. 371) illustrates
these.
Consider a brief demonstration.

Palpate your lab partner's erector spinae as

he or she bends forward, flexing the trunk
while maintaining extended knees. Soon
after the motion begins, the erector spinae
become active. What is their purpose?

As your partner continues to bend forward

slowly, you may detect a cessation in muscle
activity. In "an unusual phenomenon of
sudden muscle inhibition" (Smith, Weiss, &
Lehmkuhl, 1996, p. 390), the erector spinae
relax. Test several people to see whether
this occurs. How can the spinal extensors
cease working while gravity exerts a flexion
moment on the spine? This phenomena is a
reflection of the existence of ligamentous
strategy for lifting.

After you have identified ligaments that, when

elongated, resist gravity's flexion moment, use a

laboratory skeleton to estimate their moment arms

with respect to the L5-S1 intervertebral joint. Which
ligament has the longest moment arm?

Decide whether your partners activate the anterior

abdominal muscles during a lift. What purpose might
abdominal activity serve? Similarly, decide if your
partners activate the latissimus dorsi, and consider the
muscles' possible purpose during lifting.

Last updated 10-23-01 Dave Thompson PT

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